David A. Colby, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry Phone: (765) 496-3962 E-mail: dcolby@purdue.edu Full directory listing

Specialization: Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery and Synthesis

Education

Research: Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery and Synthesis

The emergence of drug-resistant diseases has contributed to a growing need to develop new and innovative treatments for patients afflicted with these disease states. Our research interests are directed toward two therapeutic areas, cancer and infectious diseases, which are two of the most prominent and deadly diseases when drug-resistance is present. Natural products have provided a rich source of drugs for both cancer and infectious diseases. Specifically in our laboratory, we seek to use natural products as potential leads for drug discovery in drug-resistant cancer and infectious diseases. In order to accomplish these objectives, we will blend the science of medicinal chemistry and synthetic organic chemistry through the use of natural product synthesis and the design of structurally-related analogues for structure-activity investigations. Natural products, such as parthenolide, syringolin A, and mannopeptimycin E, will be some of the targets that we will investigate to create new leads for drug-resistant cancers and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Representative Publications

Han, C.; Barrios, F. J.; Riofski, M. V.; Colby, D. A. Semisynthetic Derivatives of Sesquiterpene Lactones by Palladium-Catalyzed Arylation of the alpha-Methylene-gamma-lactone Substructure. J. Org. Chem. 74, 7176-7179 (2009). link

Ishikawa, H.; Colby, D. A.; Seto, S.; Va, P.; Tam, A.; Kakei, H.; Rayl, T. J.; Hwang, I.; Boger, D. L. Total Synthesis of Vinblastine, Vincristine, Related Natural Products, and Key Structural Analogues. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 4904-4916 (2009). link

Ishikawa, H.; Colby, D. A.; Boger, D. L. Direct Coupling of Catharanthine and Vindoline to Provide Vinblastine: Total Synthesis of (+)- and ent-(-) Vinblastine. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 130, 420-421 (2008). link

Lawhorn, B. G.; Boga, S. B.; Wolkenberg, S. E.; Colby, D. A.; Guass, C. -M.; Swingle, M. R.; Amable, L.; Honkanen, R. E.; Boger, D. L. Total Synthesis and Evaluation of Cytostatin, Its C10-C11 Diastereomers, and Additional Key Analogues: Impact on PP2A Inhibition. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128, 16720-16732 (2006). link